Along with malachite, Lapis Lazuli is one of the first treasured stones of human kind, and has been mined for over 7,000 years. Its name stems from the Latin word "lapis" meaning stone and from the Arabic word "azula" meaning blue. This treasured blue stone can be found throughout many ancient civilizations. Before a synthetic substitute was created, it was often ground and used as a pigment, making blue paint, "Ultramarine" the most expensive and valuable paint available. For this reason, blue paint was most often reserved for royalty and holy figures such as the Madonna. Much of the worlds Lapis Lazuli is mined from mountains in northern Afghanistan.

Peruvian Amazonite beads have a bright aqua to bold turquoise coloring. Amazonite's lustrously vibrant blue-green colors are believed to be caused by the presence of iron and or lead within the mineral. Ironically named after the Amazon River, no Amazonite has ever been found in the Amazon region.

Visit Our Blog!

Seed Beads

Preciosa Ornela rocaille seed beads are by far our most popular and versatile seed bead available. Preciosa Ornela rocaille seed beads are of superior quality, machine cut, and are highly valued for their use in bead stringing, bead weaving, embroidery and much much more! Preciosa seed beads are proven to be of the upmost value, and demonstrate the highest level of shape consistency.

Shop Swarovski by Color

Shopping for sensational SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS just got simpler! Shop all Swarovski shapes, styles and sizes in every one of these splendid shades! Click here!